Marine buffer eye



MARINE! BUFFER EYE Filed Sept. 12, 1955 A 29 28 5- wag ezs ATTORNEYS.

United States Patefl MARINE BUFFER EYE Daniel Georgette, Stratford,Conn. Application September 12, 1955, Serial No. 533,629

' 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-218) This invention relates to a marine buffer eye,particularly to a buffer eye for use on boats for fastening down acanvas cover for an open cockpit and similar uses, and has for an objectto provide a simple and effective buffer eye which may be used at theouter side of the gunwale of a boat for fastening down various objectswhen the boat is moored, particularly a canvas cover, forinstance, forthe cockpit or other portions of the boat, and to provide such a buffereye so shaped and constructed that it will not injure or mar or causedamage to another boat or a dock if it should rub against it, or itselfbe injured by this action, and also one in which the securing hooks forthe article fastened may be easily and quickly applied to ordisconnected from the eye.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised theconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part ofthis specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention isnot limited to the specific details of construction and arrangementshown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scopeof the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatical perspective view showing one use ofthis improved eye;

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view on a larger scale showing how it isused with the fastening means;

Fig. 3 is a similar view on a smaller scale looking toward the top ofthe eye;

Fig. 4 is a partial section and partial side view looking from the rightof Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one form of buffer eye comprising theinvention;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section thereof substantially on line 6-6 of Fig.5;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a buffer eye showing a different form ofbuffer eye;

Fig. 8 is a side view thereof, and

Fig. 9 is an end view.

A common construction or arrangement for boats is to have a row of hooksor pins along the outer side of the gunwale or adjacent the top of theouter side of the boat just below the top edge of the deck, over whichthe lacing for holding down a canvas cover over an open cockpit or otherportions of the boat is hooked to secure this canvas in place. Thesehooks or pins are damaged or broken oif if the boat rubs against a dockor another boat, for example, and they also could cause damage toanother boat or dock if the boat on which they are applied rubs againstthis other boat or clock. This device is used in place of these hooks orpins and provides a securing means for the lacing of the canvas, whichwill not be readily damaged or broken or which will not be apt to damageanother boat or a dock.

It comprises a body or block 10 of suitable material, such, for example,as bronze, which is resistant to the action of salt water, and ispreferably of oblong shape having a flat base or lower side 11 adaptedto seat on the surface of a support, such, for example, as the outer2,876,729 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 side of the gunwale 12 of the boat 13.It is rounded at its opposite ends, as indicated at 14, and its outersuron or damage another object such as another boat or a dock againstwhich a boat to which this eye is applied might rub, or whichprojections or shoulders might provide a gripping means by which theobject against which the [eye is engaged would gain a purchase to tearthe eye from its support. In other words, thissurface convexly curvedboth longitudinally and transversely comprises a continuous outer'curvedsurface for the eye which may rub against another object withoutdamaging it and also without providing a grip against the other object,but the other object would merely be deflected and slide over thisconvexly curved surface without damage either to the object or to theeye itself.

Adjacent its opposite ends the block or body is provided withcountersunk openings 16 for securing means, such, for example, as screwsor bolts 17, for fastening it to the boat. Intermediate its ends it isprovided with a transverse passage or opening 18 opening through itsopposite side walls, thus providing recesses 19 leading inwardly fromthese opposite side walls forming entrances to the transverse opening18, which thus provides a bar 20 at the outer side of this passage oropening, which in the form of Figs. 7, 8 and 9 has an outer curvedsurface forming a continuation of the outer convexly curved surface 15of the block or body 10. This is the preferred form because thisprovides a continuous outer curved surface for the block or body overwhich any object against which it may slide or contact readily slides orpasses without damage to either member,

A somewhat modified form is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this form thebody or block is the same as the first form, but the connecting bar 21at the outer side of the transverse opening or passage 22 correspondingto the opening or passage 18 in the first form is placed somewhat lowerso that it is below the outer convexly curved surface 15 of the block orbody and is concavely curved on its top edge, as shown at 23. This formsa transverse depression or recess 24 in which one side bar 25 of asecuring hook 26 may belocated, and due to this recess lie below theouter surface 15 of the block. This would prevent another object, such,for example, as another boat or a dock, engaging the securing hookshould this eye with the hook in it be rubbed against it.

Uses of this improved eye are shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Thus, for example,a series of these eyes is placed along the upper edge of the outer sideor gunwale 12 of the boat, as shown in Fig. 1. A covering canvas 27 foran open cockpit or other portion of the boat has a series of grommets 28through which is passed suitable lacings '29, and on this is a series ofsecuring hooks 26, such,

for example, as a common type of snap hook. In securing down the canvasall that is necessary is that these hooks be snapped into the openingsin these buffer eyes, as shown for example in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, aroundthe cross bars 20 and 21. These are ordinarily used for fastening thecanvas only after the boat has been anchored, and so the hooks are notordinarily in the eyes when the boat is being operated. Therefore, incoming into a dock the outer smooth, continuous, convexly curved surface15 merely rubs against the side of the dock or another boat withoutharming this eye in any way or marring or damaging either the other boator the dock.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. A marine buffer eye comprising an oblong solid block of metal havinga substantially flat base to seat against a support, the upper surfaceof the block oppo- 3 site said base being convexly curved bothlongitudinally and" transversely to substantially 'said' base forming abuffer surface, the shock being provided with screw holes adjacent itsopposite ends to receive screws for fastening it to the support, andsaid block being provided with a transverse opening between said holesproviding a bar at the'outer side of the opening to receive and hold asecuring hook.

2. A marine buffer eye comprising an oblong block of metal having asubstantially flat base adapted to seat against a support and roundedends, the upper surface of the block opposite said base being conveXlycurved both longitudinally and transverselythroughout to sub stantiallysaid base forming a buffer surface, the block being provided with screwholes adjacent its opposite ends to'receive screws for fastening it tofthe support, said block being provided with a transverse passage betweensaid holes opening through its opposite sides providing a securing barat the outer side of the passage to receive and hold a securing hook,and the outer side of the bar being concavely curved and spaced belowthe outer curved surface of the block.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,168,982 Walker Jan. 18, 1916 1,960,171 Seeger May 22, 1934 2,605,721Johnson'et al Aug. 5, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Boat Supplies, by Willis,1940, pages 75 and 76.

